Architecture of Ilfracombe
Encyclopedia
The architecture of Ilfracombe
has a strong Victorian
heritage, visible in many buildings.
The street facade, built in 1884 to designs by W H Gould, of the former Congregationalist Church
is now 'The Lantern' community center, home of the Ilfracombe Farmers' Market.
To the left is the view through the marble arches revealing the chocolate box corner shop, built in the Flemish
style in 1899 to designs by Alan Hussell.
The third picture, illustrates the high street looking east. The unusual looking building at the junction was built in about 1884 and rebuilt to the original design after a fire in 1896, as the department store 'Cole's Corner'.
To the right is the former Sutton's, later 'Royal Clarence' Hotel. The facade was applied to an older building in the early 1880s to designs by W M Robbins.
To the left are pictured three prominent high street shops. That in the centre and its neighbour to the left were built in 1881 to the designs of W. H. Gould, a local architect. They show the Victorian exuberant use of polychrome
brickwork and the styles influenced by Ruskin
's 'Stones of Venice
'.
The picture to the right shows Wilder Road, built in the 1870s to give better access to the prestigious Ilfracombe Hotel. Beaconsfield Terrace on the left was built in 1880 as 'housing for artisans' and the wedge shaped building with the extraordinarily narrow end was built in 1885 or by 1898 probably by the Ilfracombe Gas Company, perhaps as showrooms or perhaps also to hide the gas works which were on the site to the right.
Ilfracombe
Ilfracombe is a seaside resort and civil parish on the North Devon coast, England with a small harbour, surrounded by cliffs.The parish stretches along the coast from 'The Coastguard Cottages' in Hele Bay toward the east and 4 miles along The Torrs to Lee Bay toward the west...
has a strong Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
heritage, visible in many buildings.
The street facade, built in 1884 to designs by W H Gould, of the former Congregationalist Church
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
is now 'The Lantern' community center, home of the Ilfracombe Farmers' Market.
To the left is the view through the marble arches revealing the chocolate box corner shop, built in the Flemish
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
style in 1899 to designs by Alan Hussell.
The third picture, illustrates the high street looking east. The unusual looking building at the junction was built in about 1884 and rebuilt to the original design after a fire in 1896, as the department store 'Cole's Corner'.
To the right is the former Sutton's, later 'Royal Clarence' Hotel. The facade was applied to an older building in the early 1880s to designs by W M Robbins.
To the left are pictured three prominent high street shops. That in the centre and its neighbour to the left were built in 1881 to the designs of W. H. Gould, a local architect. They show the Victorian exuberant use of polychrome
Polychrome
Polychrome is one of the terms used to describe the use of multiple colors in one entity. It has also been defined as "The practice of decorating architectural elements, sculpture, etc., in a variety of colors." Polychromatic light is composed of a number of different wavelengths...
brickwork and the styles influenced by Ruskin
John Ruskin
John Ruskin was the leading English art critic of the Victorian era, also an art patron, draughtsman, watercolourist, a prominent social thinker and philanthropist. He wrote on subjects ranging from geology to architecture, myth to ornithology, literature to education, and botany to political...
's 'Stones of Venice
The Stones of Venice (book)
The Stones of Venice is a three-volume treatise on Venetian art and architecture by English art historian John Ruskin, first published from 1851 to 1853. Intending to prove how the architecture in Venice exemplified the principles he discussed in his earlier work, The Seven Lamps of Architecture,...
'.
The picture to the right shows Wilder Road, built in the 1870s to give better access to the prestigious Ilfracombe Hotel. Beaconsfield Terrace on the left was built in 1880 as 'housing for artisans' and the wedge shaped building with the extraordinarily narrow end was built in 1885 or by 1898 probably by the Ilfracombe Gas Company, perhaps as showrooms or perhaps also to hide the gas works which were on the site to the right.